MICHAEL Schumacher's family is "confident'' the Formula One legend will recover from a life-threatening skiing accident that left him with severe brain injuries, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Doctors put him in a medically induced coma after the December 29 accident in which he hit his head on a rock while skiing at the French resort of Meribel with his son and a group of friends.

"We are and remain confident that Michael will pull through and will wake up. There sometimes are small, encouraging signs, but we also know that this is the time to be very patient,'' read the family statement, issued by spokeswoman Sabine Kehm.

Schumacher remains in hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble, and his family said on January 30 that drugs used to keep him in a coma were being reduced with a view to bringing him back to consciousness.

"Michael has suffered severe injuries. It is very hard to comprehend for all of us that Michael, who had overcome a lot of precarious situations in the past, has been hurt so terribly in such a banal situation,'' the statement said.

Schumacher had already survived a motorbike accident in Spain in 2009, during which he suffered head and neck injuries but was released from hospital after just five hours.

And after years of racing in the risky world of Formula One, he retired but kept pursuing other high-thrill hobbies as the holder of a pilot's license, an accomplished motorbike rider, parachutist, skier and mountain climber.

Kehm once again asked that the privacy of Schumacher's wife Corinna and their two children be respected, while thanking well-wishers for their support.

"I would like to remind all of us that Michael has always actively kept his family out of the public eye and consequently protected their private lives,'' she said in the statement.

The official updates on Michael Schumacher's condition

March 12

"We are, and remain confident, Michael will pull through and will wake up. There sometimes are small, encouraging signs, but we also know this is the time to be very patient. Michael has suffered severe injuries. It is very hard to comprehend for all of us that Michael, who had overcome a lot of precarious situations in the past, has been hurt so terribly in such a banal situation.

"It was clear from the start this will be a long and hard fight for Michael, and we are taking this fight on together with the team of doctors, whom we fully trust. The length of the process is not the important part for us. It is heart-warming to see how much sympathy his family is shown and I can say the family is extremely grateful for it. However, it should not be forgotten Michael's family is dealing with an extremely intimate and fragile situation.

"And I would like to remind all of us Michael has always actively kept his family out of the public eye and consequently protected their private lives. We try to channel all the energies we have toward Michael and we firmly believe this will help him, and we believe he will also win this fight."

March 7

"Michael is still in the wake up phase. The situation has not changed. Any medical information published which is not confirmed by the team of doctors treating Michael or his management has to be considered as not valid."

February 13

"Michael's family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world. The good wishes they receive help the family and, we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.

"As often in such situation, no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy. As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

"The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors, nurses and nursing auxiliaries team. The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's healing process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

January 30

"The family of Michael Schumacher is again requesting to respect its privacy and the medical secret, and to not disturb the doctors treating Michael in their work. At the same time, the family wishes to express sincere appreciation for the world wide sympathy.

"Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking up process which may take a long time. For the protection of the family, it was originally agreed by the interested parties to communicate this information only once this process was consolidated."

January 17

"Unfortunately I have to repeat that any information regarding Michael's health not coming from the doctors treating him or from his management must be treated as pure speculation. I also repeat that Michael's family is very happy and confident with the work of the team of doctors treating Michael, and they trust them completely. Michael's condition is still considered as stable."

January 6

"The clinical condition of Michael Schumacher is considered as stable and is constantly monitored by medical treatments that are administered to him. However, the medical team in charge emphasises it continues to consider Michael's condition as critical.

"The privacy of the statement demands that we are not going into details of his treatment, and this is why we do not plan any press conferences, nor give out written press releases, anymore for the time being. We insist again that you respect medical confidentiality and you adhere to the information provided by the medical team in charge, or his management, as this is the only valid information."

January 4

"Michael's condition remains critical but stable. We would like to clearly stress that any information regarding Michael's health not coming from the doctors treating him or from his management must be treated as invalid and pure speculation. The family cares only for Michael's health.

"Michael's helmet camera was voluntarily given to the investigating authorities by the family.That this should have been done against the wishes of the family is untrue. We ask you to respect the continued privacy of the family."

December 29

"Mr Schumacher was admitted to the University Hospital of Grenoble at 12:40pm, following a skiing accident which occurred in Meribel in the late morning. He suffered a severe head injury with coma on arrival, which required immediate neurosurgical intervention. He remains in a critical situation."

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